A Student Government resolution recommending AU invest in U.S. companies that are based in or invest in Israel failed after contentious debate April 10.
Even after several revisions, the resolution failed with a vote of 10 senators for, 11 against and seven abstentions.
Students who supported the resolution said it wasn’t political but rather made financial sense. They felt Israel was a good place to invest because of its strong economic performance during the recession and status as a world creditor, not debtor.
“This is not foreign policy. This is us using our investment money in businesses in Israel,” said College of Arts and Sciences Senator Amy Leazes, the resolution’s sponsor.
But senators who opposed the resolution felt it was too political.
“It’s wrong for us as the student government body to support such a resolution,” said Class of 2012 Senator Roger Deming. “You can say all you want: ‘This [resolution] to me is just a business transaction.’ But I’m sorry, the Confederate flag is more than a flag.”
Students who are not in the SG voiced their opinions on the resolution during the meeting’s public comment period, before the debate on the legislation.
Former SG President Andy MacCracken, a senior in the School of Public Affairs, said he believes investing in U.S. companies that invest in Israel is a sound financial decision.
“We [AU] have made poor financial decisions in the past. Looking forward, students need to be engaged in how we’re investing our dollars and looking at trends of where it’s most sensible to invest money,” MacCracken said. “Coming out of the financial recession that the world is just recovering from now, Israel is a nation that was least affected.”
Other students disagreed, saying that the economics and politics could not be separated on this issue and that AU support for Israel would be wrong because of Israel’s actions in Palestine.
“I am not interested in AU making financial or institutional profit. I am, on the other hand, very interested in ensuring that the investments that AU does make are in line with socially just and equal principles,” said School of International Service senior Sepideah Mohsenian. “By investing in innovation from Israel, AU is de facto supporting Israeli foreign policy.”
AU spokeswoman Maralee Csellar said AU’s finance office would need to research all funds to determine if the University invests in any companies that invest in Israel.
In 2006, AU’s Board of Trustees passed a resolution saying AU “will not invest directly in companies doing business in the oil and gas sector in Sudan.” The University also notified its investment managers to end any investments in companies doing business in the oil and gas sector.
This resolution is still in effect.
mzoglo@theeagleonline.com
